Become a model! Professionalism, good notes and self-confidence

Professionalism is the base for models as it is for celebrities or sport stars. The perception of others will define your value as a model in jobs and in your daily life. Professionalism means trust in ability, being on time and improving steadily. And as already said, professionalism does not end after a photo shoot. Your whole life will be changed around your decision of becoming a model. Handling your followers on social media will also be a requirement. Social media are another aspect in which you have to be professional and keep an eye on reputation (perception from others). Clients, particularly for big productions, will not only check with which other clients you have already worked. Your name will be goggled eventually, and your profile (blog or social media) should appear in a positive, friendly way, and should show a versatile person and not a party hopper. You should not post too much junk food as model, censored pictures or comments, which might be disturbing. As a model you are a person of public life. Your own representation should be as professional as the contact with your clients. Being on time and trust are vital in the life of a model. If your next shooting trip will be with a flight, it needs to be planned in detail.

Jobs and casting? You have to be on time

Whether for appointments with clients or castings you should always be a bit early. If you have to travel long distance, don’t start in the morning by car, but arrive the night before and have a good night of sleep in a hotel. Packing your luggage is also important and well thought. You have to take everything with you that you might need for the job or the journey. You forgot something? That should not happen. Before leaving for the airport there is time to get a day cream for your face. Be on time at the airport, at the hotel and overall at the job – and have some rest before. This demands a high level of self-organisation and independence. Hence, modelling is not an easy job. They expect you to be very professional even in younger years. If you are with a good modelling agency, you are not alone! Good agencies take care of the planning and book tickets, hotels etc. for you. The only thing you then have to concentrate on is planning your modelbook.

Taking care of your look: Never change without a good reason

Being natural and taking care of you is very important, particularly for female models. Voluminous hair, natural looking nails and only a little bit of make up. It is important to look groomed at all times for both, men and women. You should always remember that your hair has to look fresh, as well as your hands and feet. You should have good-looking teeth and keep them white. At castings or on jobs: you being natural is the most important thing! No fake tans, gel nails or fakes lashes – as a model an absolute “no go”! You should not have gel nails, nor fake lashes or hair extensions. What sells is your inner beauty, your appearance, your charisma and your look. Modelling agencies and scouts looking for natural beauty worldwide. When speaking to a client or looking for models, polaroids and videos will be used. No styling, no extra light – natural. Both will be done extra because the model will look more natural here. Just in a few pages we will hit the point of looking for the right agency. But first, one particular topic especially for younger models regarding: family, friends and school.

Modeling and school

If you are reading this book you might be just at the beginning of making your decision of becoming a model. Can you combine school and modelling? As a model you will have to jump between career and school or studies. If you really want to model you should still finish school first and get ready within that time: do test shoots, first jobs and have good grades.

Career and studies: Modelling or better studies?

You cannot do modelling alongside school but you can do modelling besides studying in a good way if you are choosing your subjects wisely and don’t start a very time consuming field like medicine (which will demand you to be in uni most of the time). Lots of business studies are more flexible regarding free days and time off. During that time you have the perfect age for modelling. You will have already built up a book with your agency and gained experience with clients on jobs. Models, who want to start internationally and want to get into the world of fashion and commercials, will have to think about totally focusing on modelling. That is where models part for international or national markets. If you want to work on the national market, because of your measurements, it is a good thing to do something alongside modelling. For the national market you have more time for your academic career. Because you get that chance you should focus on both goals and not get lost in a dream. An additional profession as security, like a university degree, is always advisable for models. In that case you have something for the worst case, for example if you have an accident (as bad as it sounds). There are all kind of situations when models stop or finish their career. What will be in the future? Nobody knows. Some of them get more into the professional life, because they are tired of just being a “doll”. They want more. Some models start acting or get into media later on. In order to make that transition work for you, you should also focus on your professional/academic career even if you want to model internationally. There are opportunities to study and you don’t have to attend all lectures all the time. Even distance learning could be an option.

If you are modelling on the international market you should think about focusing on your career at least for a couple of years and discuss it with your agency and parents, because if you make it internationally the doors will be wide open for you, even if you are young. That is your time! It is worth it! The payment is higher, because advertisement in media will not only be used nationally but also internationally. You need an absolute focus and flexibility. And that works best if you take one or two years and focus on your international modelling career. That’s the great part of modelling – if you don’t want it anymore, you just stop. If you make it, you are living the dream of many. The most important thing for me, as model agent, is: talk to your family, friend and be good at school. After that – you are free to make your decision.

Family & friends: Never forget them

For new, young models it is very important to speak to their families. Even before you are going for your dream of becoming a model and applying at an agency you should speak to your parents or legal guardians about your wishes and goals. You will soon have a lot of responsibility if you are a model and doing photo shoots, campaigns and so on. Mutual trust is an absolute must for models. Parents or legal guardians should support you and have life experience, which you will have to learn first. If you are discussing your wishes and goals early enough you will even be able to find a way to combine school and modelling and still get good grades at school. As a model it is important for you to be supported by your social surroundings – family and friends. Both are important parts in your life that will help you, whether you are successful or not. You will always have a home, people that listen to you and on which you can rely one hundred per cent. Good friends are vital, also those, who are not into the “industry” and whom you can talk to when you are shopping or watching TV shows.

If you are still at school you should always get good grades before you start your career. Particularly agencies will take care that school is important and that grades are not getting worse once you are working. School is first! It matters to every good model agent that the young model is doing fine. To get good grades in school is your first goal as model. One more tip: if you are getting good grades it might also be easier for you to be way one day.